Question for you snake experts!

yesrterday i was fishing a little backwater of the gmr with one of my buddies and we came across a large snake which is no surprise cause theres tons of snakes around, i wasnt real sure what kind it was and poked it with my rod and instead of retreating it lunged tward us and tryed to bite multiple times,
my buddy thought it was a water mocasin but not sure, it was brown, with different color brown rings around it and it was very very aggresive. once we decided it was posibly a mocasin i finished him off with a nice big rock to the head. any ways i didnt think we had water mocasins around ohio?

Just remember this, Snakes were at that place long before any human ever showed up there. You were improaching on his territory!!!
You say You poked at it?
Mistake #1. They don't like being poked at any more than you do.
Mistake #2. You should always give them their space and they will most times shy away from you.
Mistake #3. Killing a snake for doing what comes natual to them (Defending themselves) is wrong. Remember, you started it, LOL!!!
Most water moccacins are non-poisonous and are a beneficial part of the eco system. Even the poisonous ones have their place (far away from Me, LOL)!!!
People are taught to be afraid of snakes, it is not a natural fear. And as far as killing a snake just because it is a snake, is just plain cruel.

Come on guys, I love snakes. If my mom wouldn't freak, I would still have at least about 12 of them. Snakes can be just as cuddly as a dog, if not more. If you are going to fear any animals it should be those shady felines. They're always plottin' and scemin'. LOL!

Just remember this, Snakes were at that place long before any human ever showed up there. You were improaching on his territory!!!
You say You poked at it?
Mistake #1. They don't like being poked at any more than you do.
Mistake #2. You should always give them their space and they will most times shy away from you.
Mistake #3. Killing a snake for doing what comes natual to them (Defending themselves) is wrong. Remember, you started it, LOL!!!
Most water moccacins are non-poisonous and are a beneficial part of the eco system. Even the poisonous ones have their place (far away from Me, LOL)!!!
People are taught to be afraid of snakes, it is not a natural fear. And as far as killing a snake just because it is a snake, is just plain cruel.

Just remember this, Snakes were at that place long before any human ever showed up there. You were improaching on his territory!!!
You say You poked at it?
Mistake #1. They don't like being poked at any more than you do.
Mistake #2. You should always give them their space and they will most times shy away from you.
Mistake #3. Killing a snake for doing what comes natual to them (Defending themselves) is wrong. Remember, you started it, LOL!!!
Most water moccacins are non-poisonous and are a beneficial part of the eco system. Even the poisonous ones have their place (far away from Me, LOL)!!!
People are taught to be afraid of snakes, it is not a natural fear. And as far as killing a snake just because it is a snake, is just plain cruel.

Click to expand...

Thanks JW. You took the words right from my mind! Snakes like all animals have a role to play in the big picture. With proper knowldge, I personally know a few people who have changed the way they feel about snakes.

Lots of people are terrified of dogs, but should they kill your dog in it's own yard on sight too?? Is their fear of your dog ample justification for doing so??

Snakes are living creatures too, and have just as much right to be left alone in their own territory as we do in ours. If you encounter a venomous snake while fishing in an area frequented by people, I have no problem with killing it as a safety issue, but any NON-venomous snakes should simply be let alone, as they pose no real threat and there is simply no justification in killing them. I'm getting pretty frustrated with the number of "KILL ALL SNAKES" posts that I'm seeing. Killing nonvenomous snakes is just as bad as killing fish for no reason, as they pose no more threat than a fish themselves!

Liveforcattin, there are no water mocasins in Ohio and around water, there probably Banded Water Snakes, they have cool colors and are aggressive "when provoked" but otherwise will move outta the way on there own and only eat a few chubs and mice so they wont hurt anyone.

I recently have had several run ins with a large Black Rat snake at my place and with Dink here in the last 2 weeks and can tell you they are fine until you poke them, Like I did:crazy: and they quickly defend themselves by coiling up and hissing in a way to defend themselves. I left them alone and they moved off, those are typically all dark grey/black and about 4-5 ft long.
These were at my barn and are mice and rat eaters so they are very welcome!
Also the other one we saw crossing the road at the ramp into East River Road at the upper WC Ramp on the GMR.

I have a cool picture of a banded water snake eating a big chub I took on the Hiwassee River last Spring in Tenn. Ill see if I can find and post it.

I'm with ramrod on this one, looking like a peta thing.
JW you are right, the snake should be just left alone and let it go on it's way.
I was bitten by a water moccasin when I was about 10 yrs old but I was in his pond and he didn't want me there, he ended up emmbedding his teeth in the bone of my leg and couldn't get loose, so I walked back to my grandfathers house holding this snake still attached to me and was taken to the local hospitol were the snake was finally removed without much incedent.
I always leave them alone at the lakes and let them go about there own business.

Killing an animal for no other reason than you don't like it is not normal.

Just because SOME of us don't have an "unreasonable" fear of snakes as most seem to have and in fact like them don't make us "PETA" people. In fact, the reasoning that some have to kill every snake they see is what is unreasonable and a little out there.

All kinds of people have fears that are not NORMAL, but most of them control them. Lots of people are deathly afraid of dogs and don't think they are worth anything... so should they kill dogs when they get a chance? Should dog lovers be considered "PETA" people?

Yes, I am saying that if your a snake killer, your not normal.
If you will look at your local laws, you will find that you are breaking the law by killing snakes.

You can call us snake lovers weird if you want, but throwing us in the same lot as PETA people you may find yourself having to defend yourself.

Sorry for double posting, but as an afterthought it occurs to me that if you are one of these people who are terrified of snakes, then I can only assume it's the VENOMOUS ONES that truly cause this fear, and do you know what one of the BEST control measures against overpopulation of VENOMOUS snakes is?

KING SNAKES!! Yes, another type of SNAKE! So if you truly have a problem with rattlers for example, the WORST thing you can do is go off killing kingsnakes!

Please remember that this is the 'Brotherhood' of catfishermen. Regardless of which side of this (or any other) subject you find your self on, let's all try to treat the other on the thread with the same respect we would like to see ourselves.

Larry, if it bothers you, kill it. it is only a snake. but they are right, if it is not botherin you. best thing is to leave it alone.
more people get bit cause they went outta their way to kill one.
just be safe!